Evacuation refuge

ABSTRACT

An evacuation refuge for a maritime unit. A rescue station includes at least one space operable to be completely closed from a surrounding environment for longterm occupation therein. A plurality of life boats are arranged within the rescue station for emergency exit. The life boats are operable to be occupied while inside the rescue station prior to deployment. An openable or removable structure is operable to permit deployment of the life boats arranged within the rescue station by removal of the occupied life boats from the rescue station. Breathing air processing devices are operable to maintain air within the evacuation refuge breathable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to an evacuation refuge for a maritime unit meantfor maritime purposes, such as for shipping, operating at the sea and/orlike, in connection with which there exists at least the said evacuationrefuge for people existing on the maritime unit and life boats or likefor emergency exit.

It is usual nowadays within maritime operations for e.g. shipping oroperating at the sea to place the life boats e.g. on the open deck ofship or e.g. at the side of an oil drilling rig, from where the same maybe lowered to the sea by dropping. This causes many problems inpractice, one of the most crucial of which worth be mentioning isparticularly insecurity during an actual emergency, whereby moving tothe life boats takes place in open space totally exposed to the roll ofthe sea and weather circumstances. On the other hand one crucial problemrelated to the traditional type of placement of the life boats is that,that the life boats as well as the supporting and lifting apparatusesfor the same are continuously under very demanding circumstances, thatis why effects e.g. by corrosion can be seen already after a very shortperiod of use. This is why the life boats and the operating apparatusesof the same require regular observation and active maintenance in orderto confirm usability of the same during an actual emergency.

The problems described above are furthermore emphasized when speaking ofactual maritime units, that are meant for operating at the sea, such asimmovable oil drilling rig units. In this type of use such situationsmay arise for most heterogeneous reasons, that the personnel has to seekshelter and get prepared for emergency exit. This is why present rigshave according to the present stipulations temporary refuges, that maybe closed airtight from the surroundings. Such temporary refuges aremeant however for a very short stay, that is for a residence lastingabout 30 minutes at the maximum. Such rooms are generally in practiceusual cabins only, that have not been designed for protecting purposesso, that they could be easily separated airtight from the surroundingsor that they would have structures increasing fire or explosion safety.After this time at the latest one must leave the protecting facility inquestion to the life boats placed at the side of the drilling rig or tothe helicopter deck, in case evacuation is possible that way. Thesituation may thus be such, that the sea underneath and/or a part of thedrilling rig is burning, whereby getting to the life boats is impossiblebecause of toxic combustion gases existing in the surroundings orbecause of high temperatures. In addition to that problems may be causedunder such situations also by high roll of the sea and by otherwisedisadvantageous weather circumstances so, that helicoptertransportations being used typically for emergency exit may not be used.

In Finnish patents numbers 96896 and 100197 there has been presentedsolutions, that are meant for developing particularly traditionaldrilling rigs of jack-up type. In this connection it may be stated, thatit is nowadays known to use both so called semi-submersible drillingrigs and the type of so called jack-up drilling rigs as described above,which have feet, that may be moved with respect to the frame part of thedrilling vertically in order to support the drilling rig to the bottomof the sea during an operating situation. The semi-submersible drillingrigs comprise an underwater part, which supports the actual working deckexisting on the sea level. Such a drilling rig is not supportedstationary on the ground at all during a drilling situation, that is whythe type of drilling rig requires expensive and complicated joint andmovement arrangements between the drilling device drilling the groundand the drilling rig, which enable drilling despite the roll of the sea.Both the costs of manufacturing and operating of such type of drillingrigs are multiple, when compared to the same of those drilling rigs ofjack-up type described above. One crucial advantage of the type ofdrilling rigs above compared to nowadays drilling rigs of jack-up typeis, however, that because of a massive construction of the same they maybe transported in most heterogeneous circumstances, even during arelatively high roll of the sea. In addition to that, they may be usedwith clearly deeper depths of water than jack-up rigs, which may be usedwhen the depth of water is usually below 150 meter.

The solutions presented in the Finnish patents mentioned above are meantparticularly to improve the safety and feasibility of a drilling rig ofjack-up type, whereby the former of the same is meant particularly toimprove the safety and feasibility of the drilling rig in a way, thatthe residence unit belonging to the drilling rig is arranged moveable,whereby it is moved at least for the time of the drilling situationessentially away from the drilling unit, advantageously in a direction,that is essentially opposite to the moving direction of the drillingunit.

The latter patent discloses a solution, that is meant to improve thefeasibility of a drilling rig of jackup type particularly with a view tothe safety of an attachment phase and a detachment phase. In this caseunder the bottom of the frame part there has been arranged an airspace,that may be discharged for the transportation position of the drillingrig, whereby air is blown to the same in order to achieve an airbed orlike, particularly for the time of the attachment and/or the detachmentphase.

The risks related to maritime may be classified to the following maingroups: cases of sinking, collision, fire, explosion and structuraldamage. In addition to that typical risks related particularly tooff-shore oil drilling are: gas leakages, which cause danger to life dueto an explosion or poisoning, oil leakages, yielding of the sea bottom,a pipe damage of the bore, helicopter accident, a threat to terrorism.

The evacuation stipulations for different kinds of risk situations arealways slightly differing, but in serious cases they according to themain rule always end up to exiting the rig either by helicoptertransportation or by life boats. As an example of the above increasingof hydrogen sulphide to a level of 0,04% may be mentioned. In such acase the rig must be evacuated immediately. When an evacuation is takingplace, it is safest to carry it out by helicopters, in case they may beused under those circumstances or if there is enough time to use them.In case use of a helicopter is prevented because of the weathercircumstances or because of urgency of the evacuation, people must enterthe life boats. Moving to the life boats is always a risk already assuch. It has been said, that most lives, that have been lost in seaaccidents all over the world are just result of life boat accidents,because fatal accidents have occured while handling the life boats. Theymay be caused by the bad shape of the life boat or of its treatmentapparatus, by circumstances during exit to the boats, by roll of the seawhile staying in the boats and to a high degree also by exiting the lifeboats to the rescuing ship.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Despite the developed solutions according to the patents describedabove, in which there has been suggested first of all to place thehelicopter deck in connection with the upper part of the residence unitabove the life boats in a way, that a covered sheltering space isachieved, that protects moving of the personnel to the life boats, andon the other hand also that, that in connection with the residence unitthere has been arranged built-in a sheltered emergency exit space, thepresent art for the part of the life boats has remained unchanged insuch respect, that the life boats are completely uncovered at the sidesof the drilling rig, so that the problems presented above are relatedalso to the solutions according to the above mentioned patents.

It is the aim of the evacuation refuge according to this invention toachieve a decisive improvement in the problems presented above and thusto raise substantially the level of knowledge in the field. To achievethis aim, the evacuation refuge according to the invention is primarilycharacterized in, that the evacuation refuge is arranged as a rescuestation, that is arranged to be closed essentially completely andpreferably airtight from the surroundings and in which long lastingresidence is enabled and furthermore inside of which the said life boatsor like are being placed.

The evacuation refuge according to the invention improves significantlysafety of maritime units meant for most heterogeneous purposesparticularly with a view to different kinds of protecting, emergency,emergency exit situations or like. This is first of all thanks to thefact, that the life boats are placed in a space, which is totallyprotected from the surroundings so, that safe moving to the same isalways enabled under most heterogeneous circumstances and surroundings.As an advantageous embodiment the evacuation refuge according to theinvention is being exploited particularly in a maritime unit that ismeant for operating at the sea, such as an oil drilling rig or like,whereby in connection with the rescue station there has been arrangedprocessing devices for breathing air, such as ventilation arrangements,reserve of breathing air, regeneration and/or filtration units forbreathing air, in order to keep the air suitable for breathing insidethe rescue station, that is particularly to be closed airtight withrespect to the surroundings, which enables long lasting residence in therescue station. The invention has one crucial meaning in such respect aswell, that the life boats, that are totally protected from the roll ofsea and weather circumstances, are despite demanding surroundingsmaintained in good shape, whereby maintenance and service of the samemay be minimized without however risking their reliability. One moreadvantage of keeping the life boats protected is the fact, that also theoperating apparatuses of the same are kept in good condition withsignificantly less maintenance than presently. The evacuation refugeaccording to the invention improves thus significantly the generalsafety of maritime decreasing simultaneously significantly alsomaintenance and service expenses.

Advantageous embodiments of the evacuation refuge according to theinvention are represented in the dependent claims related to theevacuation refuge.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In following description, the invention is illustrated in detail withreference to the depended drawings, in which

FIG. 1a shows one advantageous purpose for use of the evacuation refugeaccording to the invention, that is a drilling rig of jack-up typeduring a transportation situation seen from above,

FIG. 1b shows the corresponding embodiment during a drilling situationand

FIG. 2 shows the corresponding drilling rig during a drilling situationas a side view.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to evacuation refuge for a maritime unit meant formaritime purposes, such as for shipping, operating at the sea and/orlike, in connection with which there exists at least the said evacuationrefuge for the people existing on the maritime unit and life boats 8 aor like for emergency exit. The evacuation refuge is arranged as arescue station, that is arranged to be closed essentially completely andadvantageousely with respect to the surroundings and in which longlasting residence is enabled and furthermore inside of which the saidlife boats 8 a or like are being placed.

The principle above may be found from all of the FIGS. 1a-2, in whichthere is shown a drilling rig of so called jack-up type as an example ofapplying the invention. In this connection it must be stated, that theevacuation refuge according to the invention may naturally be used inaddition to e.g. in shipping vessels in most heterogeneous maritimeunits meant for operating at the sea, such as e.g. in immovable oildrilling rig units or e.g. in so called rigid production plants or inthose drilling rigs of submersible-type being described in thebeginning. Particularly in this kind of operative use a rescue station Xhas been applied, that is advantageously thermally insulated andequipped with a structure reinforced against explosions and inconnection with which there has been arranged furthermore processingdevices X1 for breathing air, such as ventilation arrangements, reserveof breathing air, regeneration and/or filtration units for breathingair, in order to keep the air suitable for breathing inside the rescuestation X, that is particularly to be closed airtight with respect tothe surroundings.

As an advantageous embodiment with reference particularly to the viewshown in FIG. 2, there has been arranged in connection with the rescuestation X sanitary facilities X2, that are to be closed airtight withrespect to the surroundings, such as WC's, chemical toilets, washingfacilities and/or like.

With respect to the drilling rig 1 of jack-up type shown in FIGS. 1a-2,the drilling rig 1 has a frame part 2 comprising a working deck 1 a andan essentially plane shaped bottom 1 b, inside of which there has beenarranged at least a part of the power production and operating equipmentof the drilling rig 1. In connection with the frame part 2 there hasbeen arranged at least three feet 3 operated by lifting devices 5, bymeans of which the drilling rig 1 may be supported on the sea bottomduring an attachment phase through lowering the same from a standbyposition required by a transportation position of the drilling rig 1essentially in a vertical direction in respect to the frame part 2 to aworking position enabling at least a drilling situation (FIG. 2). Inconnection with the frame part 2 there is also a drilling unit 4 fordrilling, that is arranged moveable essentially in a horizontal plane inrespect with the frame part 2 by means of a first transferring apparatus6, such as by actuators driven by electricity, pressurized medium and/orcorrespondingly and a slide rail assembly or a like, to perform thedrilling during the drilling situation essentially form outside theframe part 2 (FIGS. 1b and 2). Furthermore as an advantageous embodimentthe drilling rig 1 comprises also a residence unit 7, that is arrangedaccording to the patents described in the beginning moveable at leastfor the time of the drilling situation essentially away from thedrilling unit 4. Particularly in this type of connection there has beenarranged in connection with the rescue station X a food stuffs unit X3for food and drink maintenance enabling long standing residence, whichunit is to be closed airtight with respect to the surroundings and thatis preferably common to the residence unit 7, which residence unit 7 isadvantageously moveable in direction s e.g. by means of a secondtransferring apparatus 9. In the drilling rig embodiment shown in thedrawings there has been shown furthermore a helicopter deck 8 b for airtransportations, that is placed advantageously in connection with theupper part of the residence unit 7, whereby in connection with the samethere has been arranged advantageously a safe exit way also directlyfrom the rescue station to the helicopter deck.

Furthermore as an advantageous embodiment with reference particularly toFIG. 2 there has been arranged a heating/cooling apparatus X4 inconnection with the rescue station X, in order to keep the temperatureinside the rescue station X within preferably adjustable temperaturelimits.

Particularly due to risk involved with the type of operating at the seadescribed above, it is furthermore advantageous to arrange in connectionwith the rescue station X also observation arrangements X5 in order toobserve the state of the surroundings visually, such as by means ofwindows, video cameras and/or like, and/or by measuring techniques, suchas by means of gas, temperature, pressure detectors and/or like, wherebyparticularly by means of e.g. a gas detector it is possible to observethe carbon monoxide, combustion gases, hydrogen sulphide, hydrocarboncontents or like of the surroundings. The above described observationarrangements based on measuring techniques enable furthermore use of theprocessing devices X1 for breathing air so, that air, that has beenpurified only by a filtering unit, is being led to the rescue station X,whenever it is possible. On the other hand during very difficultsituations it is possible to use the reserve of breathing air and theregeneration unit for breathing air, whereby the breathing air of therescue station X is maintained by means of a closed cycle by limitingthe carbon dioxide of the recycling air by means of the regenerationunit and by purifying it with the filtration unit.

Furthermore with reference to FIG. 2 there has been arranged to theoutside wall of the rescue station X an openable/a removable wallstructure SR placed essentially in connection with the life boats 8 a inorder to enable removing of the same from the side.

As an advantageous embodiment with reference particularly to FIG. 2, thebottom of the rescue station X is arranged openable/removable from underthe life boats 8 a in order to enable removing of the same from belowthrough an exhaust opening PA formed into the bottom. It is alsopossible to arrange in connection with the rescue station X and/or thelife boats 8 a a folding apparatus X6 in order to lower the life boatsnearer to the sea level before dropping them down. This type ofarrangements are necessary particularly during such situations, when themaritime unit is for some reason in very declined position so, that thedropping height of the life boats is too high.

Furthermore as an advantageous embodiment of the invention, there hasbeen arranged in connection with the rescue station X an extra commandpost X7 for controlling of the operative functionings of the maritimeunit, such as of a drilling unit 4 performing drilling, of a residenceunit 7, of a transferring apparatus 6, 9 and/or of an energy supply andoperating apparatus of an immovable or a moveable oil drilling rig orlike.

The invention described above gives extra time to make an evacuationdecision and makes maybe even the whole evacuation decision unnecessary.The people may stay safely in the rescue station and monitor developmentof the situation from there. It is whenever possible to exit the stationby going to the life boats, but however not until then, that the peopleare considered to be safer in the boats than in the rescue station.

It is also always possible to exit the rescue station to the helicopterdeck in order to carry on the evacuation from that point. In case theweather circumstances prevent use of the helicopters, the people may invery many situations wait till the last moment sitting in the life boatsif necessary and wait for improvement of the weather conditions and incase they get better, exit the station by helicopter transportation.

In many situations the invention may even make the present evacuationdecisions according to the present stipulations totally unnecessary so,that the risk of danger goes by during the time, that the people spendin the rescue station; a gas leakage stops and the direction of windchanges, a fire is being extinguished etc. Rescuing may be waited for,though some kind of explosion would have destroyed structures concerningactual operations, whereby there is enough time by equipping the rescuestation with equipment, that safeguard survival e.g. for two weeks.

When a premature evacuation may be avoided, also the great risks causedby the evacuation as such may be avoided. Also the high expenses must bekept in mind, that are caused by evacuation. If evacuation may beavoided at least for once, it may be, that the invention has paid backitself economically. So, the primary aim and purpose of the invention isto decrease risks involved with evacuation at the sea by increasingsafety with arrangements, the costs of which are very often also moreprofitable that present arrangements.

It is also possible as a rescue station according to the invention isbeing used e.g. in passenger ships, that the passengers could bedetermined to go the station much earlier, than such an order aboutmoving to the life boats would be given nowadays. There may be evencertain stages during moving to the rescue station, e.g. first of allmoving to the rescue station, after that transferring therein to thelife boats without however discharging the life boats etc. The rescuestation could be thus preventive with respect to damages. As the dangersinvolved with transferring to the life boats are known, such an orderneed not be given, but the people would however be much better preparedfor leaving the ship in case a final evacuation order proves out to benecessary.

The invention causes in this connection as well many evacuationstipulations to be rewritten, but simultaneously it improves safety,spares unnecessary risks and is in most cases in addition to bettersafety also a more advantageous alternative.

It is obvious, that the invention is not limited to the embodimentsshown or presented above, but it can be modified within the basic ideaeven to a great extent. Thus the evacuation refuge according to theinvention may be carried out technically by very many types ofconstructions depending very much on the purpose for use. E.g. inconnection with maritime vessels, the evacuation refuge may be arrangedtechnically by very many kind of constructions, whereby easy entrance ofthe passangers and personnel to the rescue station is enabled and on theother hand also the safe lowering of the life boats from the same to thesea. In addition to that it is also possible to equip an evacuationrefuge according to the invention more abundantly than described abovee.g. with first aid devices and equipments, locationing devices, datacommunication devices etc. It is naturally advantageous to connect therescue station according to the invention with suitable shelteredpassages to certain critical points in order to enable going to therescue station safe also.

What is claimed is:
 1. An invention refuge for a maritime unit, comprising: a rescue station comprising at least one space operable to be completely closed from a surrounding environment for longterm occupation therein; a plurality of life boats arranged within the rescue station for emergency exit, such that the life boats are operable to be occupied while inside the rescue station prior to deployment; an openable or removable structure operable to permit deployment of the life boats arranged within the rescue station by removal of the occupied life boats from the rescue station, wherein the openable or removable structure comprises an openable or removable bottom of the rescue station in connection with the life boats and operable to be opened or removed from under the life boats to enable removing the life boats from below through an exhaust opening in the bottom; and breathing air processing devices operable to maintain air within the evacuation refuge breathable.
 2. The evacuation refuge according to claim 1, wherein the breathing air processing devices comprise at least one of ventilation arrangements, reserve of breathing air, regeneration and filtration units.
 3. The evacuation refuge according to claim 1, further comprising: a folding apparatus operable to lower occupied life boats from the rescue station nearer to sea level before releasing the life boats.
 4. The evacuation refuge according to claim 1, wherein the evacuation refuge is for a maritime unit operating at sea and further comprises: sanitary facilities operable to be closed airtight with respect to the surrounding environment.
 5. The evacuation refuge according to claim 4, wherein the maritime operating unit comprises an oil drilling rig unit.
 6. The evacuation refuge according to claim 4, wherein the sanitary facilities comprise at least one of water closets, chemical toilets, and washing facilities.
 7. The evacuation refuge according to claim 1, further comprising: at least one of a heating apparatus and a cooling apparatus arranged in connection with the rescue station and operable to maintain a temperature inside the rescue station within adjustable temperature limits.
 8. An evacuation refuge for a maritime unit, comprising: a rescue station comprising at least one space operable to be completely closed from a surrounding environment for longterm occupation therein; a plurality of life boats arranged within the rescue station for emergency exit, such that the life boats are operable to be occupied while inside the rescue station prior to deployment; an openable or removable structure operable to permit deployment of the life boats arranged within the rescue station by removal of the occupied life boats from the rescue station; breathing air processing devices operable to maintain air within the evacuation refuge breathable; a residence unit for personnel; a helicopter deck; and a food stuffs unit operable to maintain food and drink, to enable long standing residence, and to be closed airtight with respect to the surrounding environment.
 9. The evacuation refuge according to claim 8, wherein the foodstuffs unit is common to the residence unit.
 10. The evacuation refuge according to claim 8, wherein the breathing air processing devices comprise at least one of ventilation arrangements, reserve of breathing air, regeneration and filtration units.
 11. The evacuation refuge according to claim 8, wherein the openable or removable structure comprises an openable or removable outside wall of the rescue station in connection with the life boats and operable to enable removing the life boats from a side of the evacuation refuge.
 12. The evacuation refuge according to claim 8, further comprising: a folding apparatus operable to lower occupied life boats from the rescue station nearer to sea level before releasing the life boats.
 13. The evacuation refuge according to claim 8, wherein the evacuation refuge is for a maritime unit operating at sea and further comprises: sanitary facilities operable to be closed airtight with respect to the surrounding environment.
 14. The evacuation refuge according to claim 13, wherein the maritime operating unit comprises an oil drilling rig unit.
 15. The evacuation refuge according to claim 13, wherein the sanitary facilities comprise at least one of water closets, chemical toilets, and washing facilities.
 16. The evacuation refuge according to claim 8, further comprising: at least one of a heating apparatus and a cooling apparatus arranged in connection with the rescue station and operable to maintain a temperature inside the rescue station within adjustable temperature limits.
 17. An evacuation refuge for a maritime unit, comprising: a rescue station comprising at least one space operable to be completely closed from a surrounding environment for longterm occupation therein; a plurality of life boats arranged within the rescue station for emergency exit, such that the life boats are operable to be occupied while inside the rescue station prior to deployment; an openable or removable structure operable to permit deployment of the life boats arranged within the rescue station by removal of the occupied life boats from the rescue station; breathing air processing devices operable to maintain air within the evacuation refuge breathable; and observation arrangements operable to permit visual observation of a state of the surrounding environment, wherein the observation arrangements comprise at least one of windows, video cameras, and measurers.
 18. The evacuation refuge according to claim 17, wherein the observation arrangements comprise measures and the measurers comprise at least one of gas, temperature, and pressure detectors.
 19. The evacuation refuge according to claim 17, wherein the breathing air processing devices comprise at least one of ventilation arrangements, reserve of breathing air, regeneration and filtration units.
 20. The evacuation refuge according to claim 17, wherein the openable or removable structure comprises an openable or removable outside wall of the rescue station in connection with the life boats and operable to enable removing the life boats from a side of the evacuation refuge.
 21. The evacuation refuge according to claim 17, further comprising: a folding apparatus operable to lower occupied life boats from the rescue station nearer to sea level before releasing the life boats.
 22. The evacuation refuge according to claim 17, wherein the evacuation refuge is for a maritime unit operating at sea and further comprises: sanitary facilities operable to be closed airtight with respect to the surrounding environment.
 23. The evacuation refuge according to claim 22, wherein the maritime operating unit comprises an oil drilling rig unit.
 24. The evacuation refuge according to claim 22, wherein the sanitary facilities comprise at least one of water closets, chemical toilets, and washing facilities.
 25. The evacuation refuge according to claim 17, further comprising: at least one of a heating apparatus and a cooling apparatus arranged in connection with the rescue station and operable to maintain a temperature inside the rescue station within adjustable temperature limits.
 26. An evacuation refuge for a maritime unit, comprising: a rescue station comprising at least one space operable to be completely closed from a surrounding environment for longterm occupation therein; a plurality of life boats arranged within the rescue station for emergency exit, such that the life boats are operable to be occupied while inside the rescue station prior to deployment; an openable or removable structure operable to permit deployment of the life boats arranged within the rescue station by removal of the occupied life boats from the rescue station; breathing air processing devices operable to maintain air within the evacuation refuge breathable; and an extra command post operable to control operative functionings of the maritime unit.
 27. The evacuation refuge according to claim 26, wherein the extra command post is opearble to control at least one of a drilling unit performing drilling, a residence unit, a transferring apparatus, and an energy supply and operating apparatus of the maritime unit.
 28. The evacuation refuge according to claim 26, wherein the breathing air processing devices comprise at least one of ventilation arrangements, reserve of breathing air, regeneration and filtration units.
 29. The evacuation refuge according to claim 26, wherein the openable or removable structure comprises an openable or removable outside wall of the rescue station in connection with the life boats and operable to enable removing the life boats from a side of the-evacuation refuge.
 30. The evacuation refuge according to claim 26, further comprising: a folding apparatus operable to lower occupied life boats from the rescue station nearer to sea level before releasing the life boats.
 31. The evacuation refuge according to claim 26, wherein the evacuation refuge is for a maritime unit operating at sea and further comprises: sanitary facilities operable to be closed airtight with respect to the surrounding environment.
 32. The evacuation refuge according to claim 31, wherein the maritime operating unit comprises an oil drilling rig unit.
 33. The evacuation refuge according to claim 31, wherein the sanitary facilities comprise at least one of water closets, chemical toilets, and washing facilities.
 34. The evacuation refuge according to claim 26, further comprising: at least one of a heating apparatus and a cooling apparatus arranged in connection with the rescue station and operable to maintain a temperature inside the rescue station within adjustable temperature limits. 